


Changed

by Arboreal



Series: Changed [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Mystery, Not Steve Friendly, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), not team Cap friendly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2018-09-27 16:20:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 18,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10031321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arboreal/pseuds/Arboreal
Summary: After Siberia, Tony Stark refuses to show up to anything in person.





	1. Hermit in the City that Never Sleeps

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based on the prompt (Warning: Story Spoilers) [here](http://tonysnxrk.tumblr.com/post/154121337278/fic-where-after-siberia-tony-refuses-to-show-up).
> 
> Just a reminder: This is not a Steve or Team Cap friendly story.

After the so-called Avengers Civil War, Tony Stark disappears from the public eye.  Speculation and rumors run rampant, of course.  Many wonder if Iron Man even survived.  It is three weeks before the CEO of Stark Industries, a tired and grim-faced Virginia Potts, releases a statement.  Tony Stark and James Rhodes, she says, were both grievously injured during confrontations with the rogue Avengers.  James Rhodes will remain in Germany until it is safe for him to be transferred.  Tony Stark has returned to New York for specialized treatment. 

It is another six weeks before Iron Man is seen once more.  The picture in the paper shows the familiar red and gold figure flying through the Manhattan skyline, a seemingly anxious Vision following close behind.  A few months later, Iron Patriot has joined them. 

When not encased in a mechanized suit of gold-titanium alloy, however, Tony Stark just never seems to leave Stark Tower.  Everyone from news journalists to the paparazzi to curious tourists camp out at the tower for months, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man, but he is never seen.  Everything from the galas and high-society parties he once reveled in, to his less publicized jaunts to favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurants has simply stopped.  Tony Stark has become a hermit in the middle of the city that never sleeps.

That is not to say that Tony Stark is never seen.  He introduces every new product from Stark Industries, only now he does so by streaming video rather than in front of an audience.  He video conferences constantly, attends Accords meetings remotely, gives lectures and speeches projected onto enormous screens.  However, for no matter, big or small, will he appear in person.

Even as Iron Man, Tony Stark has stepped back.  He no longer spars with reporters at press briefings.  He no longer calms and amuses the crowd that always gathers after a battle with his quips and antics.  He no longer flirts for fun with all and sundry at Avengers publicity events.  James Rhodes is now the face of the Avengers.  Iron Man never even takes off his helmet in public.  After a while, people forget to wonder why.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumblr](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	2. A hard and thankless job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three years have passed since the Avengers broke apart. Rhodey waits for a plane from Wakanda.

Chapter 2

 

Colonel James Rhodes stood in front of the floor to ceiling windows of the terminal, waiting for the only airplane that would land here today.  Around him the airport was silent except for the movement of the armed guard to his left and the quiet hum of his mechanized leg braces.  That hum used to drive him insane, he remembered.  When Tony had first constructed the braces for him, that noise had been a maddening companion as he painfully learned to walk again.  Now the sound was a comfort.  It was a reminder on his darker days of what he was capable of and that there were people who would move heaven and earth for him.

Outside the sky was gray with dark, threatening clouds.  Thunderstorms were predicted later, and if he had a few uncharitable thoughts about who he would like to see struck by lightning, that was neither here nor there.  On the tarmac below, he could see representatives of the media gathering.  Rhodey was just grateful he wouldn’t have to give a speech about what a great day this was for the world.  That the rift that had occurred almost three years ago would finally be healed and the Avengers would be whole once more.

His fists clenched at the thought.  For years Tony, Rhodey, and Vision, the only remaining Avengers, had worked with the Accords committee. They pushed for amendments, proposed solutions when the theory of the Accords came up against harsh reality and was found wanting, and did everything in their power to prove that they, and other enhanced individuals, could be trusted.  And they _fucking_ stayed. 

It almost hadn’t worked.  Every time things went south, there had been whispers.  People were scared, and there were always those eager to capitalize on that fear.  The Accords applied only to enhanced individuals, whether by nature or technology or skill, who would act on threats that crossed international borders.  Individual nations would still decide how their own citizens who were enhanced individuals could operate.  If the Accords fell, however, if there was no internationally recognized framework to hold up as an example, if the Avengers lost their voice on the world stage?  There were plenty of politicians around the world that would use that failure to excuse restricting the rights of enhanced individuals in their countries.  Even America, the country he loved and had dedicated his life to protecting, for all its stated goals had a saddening track record when it came to a new and different people coming to its shores.

And the Accords were _good_ now.  They _worked_.  And now that the hard, thankless job was done?  The great Steve Rogers _deigned_ to sign now that he found them _acceptable_.  Without Thor’s warning and Thanos on the horizon, Rhodey would be tempted to let Rogers and the other rogue Avengers rot in the Wakandan jungle for the rest of time.  There were half a dozen new Avengers compounds in the works around the globe, and teams were slowly developing to fill them, but there was no way to know how much time they had left.  They simply couldn’t afford not to use every advantage they had, especially with a very different deadline looming.  He turned at the sound of footsteps behind him.

“Tower says they’ll be landing in the next half hour,” Everett Ross said as he stepped to Rhodey’s right.  Everett took a moment to study the scene outside.  A light rain had started and now water was streaking down the window.  Everett glances at Rhodey before watching the reporters and camera operators scramble to anchor their equipment against the rising wind.  “I was surprised when Stark proposed this.  I agree it’s necessary, but he has more reason than most to oppose it.  The both of you do,” he said quietly.

Rhodey nodded.  “Oh, Tony’s still angry.  Maybe not as much as I’d like, but that’s fine.  I can be angry enough for the both of us,” he said with a sharp smile.  “But Tony’s known what was coming for a long time.  Everything he’s done since he saw what was on the other side of that portal has been to stop it from happening.”  He sighed and ran a hand over his face.  “He knows he might not be allowed to see this through and he wants as much in place as he can before that happens.”

“How long does he think?” Everett asks as he crosses his arms and turns to face Rhodey.

“He thinks they’ll crack the encryption in two months.  Three at the most.”  Rhodey listens to the hum of his braces, just one in a long line of Tony’s amazing creations, and knows he would give it all back if it meant his friend could finally find some peace.

Rhodey sees the plane first, bringing the rest of the old Avengers back.  He just feels tired.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumbler](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com).
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	3. Your One Chance

James Buchanan Barnes’ first homecoming as a free man looked like it was going to be a soggy affair.  Watching out of the window as their plane landed, Bucky found himself looking forward to stepping out into the light rain on what looked like a chilly spring day.  The tropical heat of Wakanda had been welcome when he was finally released from the cryochamber for good.  It had felt like the bright sunlight and humid heat had sunk into his very bones, a welcome respite after so many years in deep freeze.  The weather in Wakanda only seemed to have two settings, though, hot and sunny, or hot and torrential downpour, and the sudden desire to feel the cold, gentle rain took him by surprise.

He’d never really left the city before being shipped out overseas, but upstate New York was at least close enough to the city that he _knew_ this weather.  So many of his memories from before the Winter Soldier lacked any sort of sense memory to them.  He could remember a handful of people, places, and events, but they were little more than pictures in his head.  He could remember the facts about them, but not how it had _felt_ to be there. 

This, though.  He knew this rain.  He could suddenly recall how he had spent many days on the shipyards working in rain like this.  Wet and miserable, he’d been surrounded by the smell of saltwater and fish, could feel the rough, damp crates he and the others had moved into dusty warehouses, muscles aching and tired.  The air had been full of the guys griping about the weather and telling the bawdy jokes they’d heard at the bar the night before.  He could remember the anticipation of getting dry, if not warm, in the tiny apartment he’d shared with Steve, and the constant worry that his friend would catch something in that weather.  Steve was safe now, would never get sick again, and Bucky could enjoy these few moments remembering what it had felt like to be _him_.

As the plane came to a stop, Steve leaned into Bucky to look out the window as well.  He grimaced when he saw the cameras and reporters, then gave Bucky a wry smile.  “Tony always likes to make a big production of everything when it comes to the Avengers,” Steve said apologetically.  He clapped Bucky on the shoulder as he stood to grab a duffle bag from the overhead compartment.  “I’ll have to talk to him about that.  It doesn’t seem appropriate to carry on that way, especially after the warning Thor gave us.  The Avengers should be helping people, not trading in on our publicity.” 

Bucky gave him a dubious look.  First, no matter what Steve seemed to think, Bucky doubted Steve was in any position to make those types of suggestions to Stark.  Second, that was pretty rich coming from Steve who had used his own publicity shamelessly during the war even if he hadn’t realized it. 

While most of the army had to make do with scarce supplies, with Captain America at the lead, things were different for the Howling Commandos.  There were still hard times, but the Howlies always got the best rations, the best weapons, and autonomy not afforded to many other groups in the military.  Part of that had been their mission, and part of that had been that Steve really was that good, but a big part had been the legend of Captain America.  His image had already been seen across the country selling war bonds, and once all those people saw the many news reals of Captain America fighting the good fight?  Even the brass hadn’t been immune.  Bucky had a memory of a Lieutenant Colonel arguing over requisitions folding under Captain America’s disappointed frown; that was both hilarious and a little frightening.  What Steve asked for, he got.  Steve only saw it as looking out for his troops and completing his mission, but he never really understood how being _Captain America_ and not just Steve Rogers made that easier.

Before he could comment, though, Clint grumbled from somewhere behind them.  “Good luck with that.  Stark loves being the center of attention.  Arrogant ass.  We could have just landed at the compound if he hadn’t wanted to make a spectacle of himself.”  He’d been like a bear with a sore tooth the entire trip and it was starting to get on Bucky’s nerves.  They’d all seen the news.  They knew they needed all the good will they could get.  That Steve and Clint would dismiss this opportunity just because Stark had something to do with it didn’t bode well.

“Well, it is a big deal, right?  People will want to know about it.  They’ll feel better seeing it for themselves that we’re all working with the Avengers,” Scott piped up across from them.  He looked as eager as a puppy.  After they had received the news that they could come home if they signed the new Accords, Scott had immediately begged a phone from their hosts to call his daughter and ex-wife.  Once the initial yelling from the other side of the call was over, Scott had been able to talk to his daughter for the first time in three years.  He was looking forward to seeing them later today.

“Whatever,” Clint muttered, jerking his own bag down.  Clint’s subsequent call home had not gone as well.  There was apparently a lawyer waiting for him. 

Clint turned to Wanda who was seated next to Natasha and his expression softened, “We can’t control their fear.  Only our own, right?”  Wanda didn’t look at him, only shook her head slightly, and clasped her hands together.  Bucky wasn’t sure what had happened since the German airport and the two years he had lost in Wakanda to change the witch.  She’d been full of a self-righteous fury before the battle, raging against the world in general, and Stark in particular. After Bucky woke up she was nearly silent and seemed older than the few years in Wakanda could account for.

There was an annoyed noise from Sam, who called out from the back of the plane, “I don’t care if Eleanor Roosevelt is out there to greet us.  The door is open.  Will you people please move.”  Bucky huffed in amusement as the others began to move forward. 

Natasha was the last to leave besides him.  She moved as calm and confidently as ever to the front of the plane, but there was a tightness around her eyes and mouth.  Bucky wasn’t sure if it was the upcoming reunion itself, or something else that caused it.  The stipulations for each of their pardons had been unique, and though some, namely Clint, had let everyone know exactly what bullshit they thought of their own requirements for being reinstated to the Avengers, some like Natasha had kept that information to themselves. 

After Natasha passed, Bucky slowly rose from his seat and slung his own bag over his shoulder.  Most of the others seemed convinced that Stark would be meeting them himself, that this was important enough for him to give up his self-imposed isolation, but Bucky was doubtful.  Unless he showed up in the Iron Man armor, of course, but since he didn’t hear a battle raging outside that probably hadn’t happened.  Bucky rather thought ignoring their existence was going to be the way of things now that they were pardoned and able to do some good.  Stark’s only message to him, sent along with the B.A.R.F. system, had read:   _I don’t care who you used to be.  You have been a psychotic murderer for seven decades.  This is your one chance.  Get HYDRA out of your head, sign the Accords, and stay the hell away from me and mine.  Fuck up and I will kill your sorry ass_.  Steve would have blown a gasket if he’d shown him, but that had seemed more than fair to Bucky.

When Bucky reached the airplane door, he took a moment to hold his flesh hand out and feel the cool rain.  Time to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumbler](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/).
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	4. Let me make something clear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. Everett Ross (Deputy Task Force Commander of the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre in CA:CW) appears in this chapter. Just a reminder that this is a different character than Thaddeus Ross (U.S. Secretary of State in CA:CW).

Steve Rogers stepped off the ramp onto the tarmac with a jittery sort of elation.  It was cold and wet, but he honestly didn’t care.  He was home.  He was home, the Avengers were about to be reunited, and the mistakes of the past would be put behind them and forgotten.  The anger and harsh words, all of the hurts, washed away as if they had never been.  They would all be together again to face whatever the future held.

Glancing at the bright cameras, Steve stood straighter as pride welled within him.  All those people watching, he thought, knew what he and those who stood by him had accomplished.  They had faced the world, taken a stand against those who would use the Avengers for their own ends, and had won.  It was their sacrifice that had inspired the Accords to be amended.  The politicians had been forced to listen.  He was confident that, given time, they would be able to do away with the Accords all together.

Tony had also listened.  He had been a driving force behind many of the amendments, according to T’Challa, and Steve was glad that his friend was working to correct his mistake in signing the original Accords.  As leader of the only recognized Avengers these last three years, Tony must have seen how constraining that type of oversight was, how it got in the way of saving lives.  Steve would need to talk to Tony when the excitement over the return of the rest of the Avengers calmed down; Tony was in a position to know how to dismantle the Accords from the inside.

Steve smiled in anticipation when he saw two figures exit the airport terminal and walk towards them.  It would be good to see Tony again, despite everything.  When he had calmed down after their confrontation in Siberia, Steve regretted how things had gotten so out of control between him and Tony.  He was ready to let bygones be bygones.  It helped that Tony was trying to make amends as well.  The apparatus to help Bucky and the push to have the rogue Avengers pardoned were proof of that.  Forgiveness couldn’t be bought with fancy tech and high-priced lawyers, as Clint had pointed out, but Steve was ready to let the past go.

Once everyone had deplaned, Steve led the way across the tarmac.  His smile dimmed somewhat when he realized neither of the people there to welcome them were Tony.  He was pleased to see James Rhodes looking well, but less pleased to see Everett Ross accompanying him.  The two groups met in front of the terminal, near the observing cameras. 

“Welcome back, Captain.”  Rhodes stepped forward, smiling.  Steve could hear a quiet mechanical noise he assumed came from the braces that allowed Rhodes to walk.

Steve shook his hand.  “Thank you.  It’s good to see you, Rhodey.  Where’s Tony?” 

Rhodes’ smile tightened, and he took a step back.  “He wasn’t able to make it out here today.  Big project in the works, you know how it is,” Rhodes replied evenly before nodding to the rest of the returning Avengers.

Steve was about to ask what project could be important enough that the current leader of the Avengers wouldn’t come to greet his returning teammates, but Rhodes addressed the group before he had the chance.

“You all still have rooms at the Avengers compound, of course.  After a brief meeting, you will be free to settle in.”  Rhodes’s announcement was met with pleased smiles from the group.

He gestured to his companion to join them as he continued, “For those who don’t know, this is Everett Ross, Deputy Task Force Commander of the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre.  Part of his duties include coordinating with the UN Accords Council when it is determined a terrorist threat requires Avengers intervention.  He was asked to attend today’s meeting on behalf of the Accords Council.”

Steve grit his teeth.  This was the man who had sent a task force for Bucky after the bombing in Vienna, who had imprisoned him in that cage.  There had been evidence against Bucky, sure, but that didn’t change the fact he had been innocent. 

Deputy Ross noticed Steve’s loss of composure with a twitch of the lips.  “Come now, Captain Rogers, I’m only here to make sure all the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed.  Shall we get out of this rain?  We can discuss this back at the compound.”  With that, the man turned and started back to the terminal.  “Do remember to smile for the cameras,” he tossed over his shoulder.

Steve was tempted to reply, but Bucky grabbed his arm and hissed, “Not here,” with a glance at the reporters.  

Upon entering the terminal, the group was led down the eerily silent terminal.  The only other people were a series of armed guards stationed along their route.  When Scott questioned it, Rhodes replied, “The airport was shut down for the day for your arrival.”  Glancing at Steve he added, “There were security concerns.”

Steve nodded as they reached the pick-up/drop-off area.  There they were hustled into three black SUVs.  Steve, Bucky, Clint and Sam climbed into the first vehicle with Rhodes in the front passenger seat, while Scott, Wanda, Natasha and Deputy Ross entered the second, and their luggage was placed in the third.

Rhodes had a quiet word with the driver and then began typing on his phone once everyone was inside.  The SUV pulled forward and began navigating away from the airport.

Steve waited until they had reached the interstate before leaning forward.  “Rhodey, where is Tony?  He should…”

“Colonel Rhodes,” Rhodes interrupted without looking away from his phone.

“What?” Steve asked.

“You will address me as Colonel Rhodes or Director Rhodes, if you address me at all.  Understood?”  Rhodes looked up from his phone and pinned Steve with a glare.  Gone was the affable man who had greeted them at the tarmac.  In his place was someone much harsher.  “I am not your friend, Captain Rogers.  That ended three years ago.”  He paused until Steve gave him a tight nod.  “Anything you wish to discuss can wait until we are in a secure area at the compound,” Rhodes said before turning back to his phone.

“Oh, come off it Rhodey,” Clint demanded, “It was you guys that fucked everything up.  If Tony had just …”

“Mr. Barton,” Rhodes said coldly, “Does this look like a secure location?  You worked for a spy organization.  I would have expected you to know better.”  He turned in his seat to face Clint fully.  “Moreover, a superior has given you an order.  If you continue, I will report this.  That will delay your readmittance into the Avengers.  Keep pushing, and your review after your probationary period may not go the way you like.”

Clint looked defiant, but sat back in his seat without added commentary.

Steve’s earlier elation was evaporating and dismay was taking its place.  He shared a look with Bucky who seemed grim but unsurprised.  This wasn’t what Steve had expected, or wanted.  It had been three years.  Surely that was enough time that they could rebuild what they had once had. 

The rest of the trip was silent except for the windshield wipers and the rain.

When they reached the Avengers compound, everyone moved into the once familiar conference room.  The returning Avengers were asked to sit while Rhodes and Deputy Ross stood at head of the table. 

“Right,” Rhodes began, “Due to the threat posed by the being known as Thanos …”

“Wait, shouldn’t Tony be here?  Why wasn’t he at the airport to meet us?  As the leader of the Avengers while I was gone his first priority should be his team.  Now that we’re back …”

Rhodes rubbed his forehead and muttered, “Like a dog with a bone ...”  He sighed and addressed Steve, “ _Dr. Stark_ is not here, Captain Rogers, because _I_ oversee all current Avengers based out of the New York compound.  When the other Avengers compounds begin to open, each will be assigned their own Director.”

Steve sat stunned.  “But, I left him the Avengers.  I …”

“It was not within your power to simply hand over leadership of the Avengers, Captain Rogers,” Deputy Ross reprimanded.  “Certainly not after you refused to sign the Accords and became an international criminal.”

Clint snorted, “So Stark’s precious Accords got him booted out of running the Avengers?  That’s almost poetic.”  He leaned back in his chair, grinning.

Deputy Ross simply raised an eyebrow.  “Mr. Barton, Tony Stark himself proposed that Colonel Rhodes take on the leadership position.” 

There were a few moments of silence before Rhodes began again.  “Due to the threat posed by Thanos you have all been given provisional pardons which included signing the current Accords.  Your signed documents have already been received by the Accords Committee.  You are assigned to the Bravo team of the New York compound and your team lead will be Colonel Carole Danvers, also known as Captain Marvel.”

Steve felt his stomach drop.  The old team wasn’t being reinstated.  He hadn’t even thought that would be an option.  And someone else, a stranger, was going to lead them.  He was heartened to see the others begin to protest, but Rhodes just shook his head.

“No.  You agreed to the conditions of your pardon and signed the Accords.  That includes determining your assignment.  You will meet Colonel Danvers here tomorrow at 0800.  Over the next week, you will be meeting her individually to discuss the provisions you must complete before starting your probationary time with the Avengers.”

Clint stood fast enough to knock his chair over.  “This is bullshit.  We know how to be Avengers.  We’ve already put our time in.  And you’re crazy if you think I’m following anyone but Steve Rogers.”

“Then you won’t be going anywhere,” said Deputy Ross.  “And you’ll be doing just as much good as you were in Wakanda, letting others pick up the slack like they’ve had to for three years.”  He crossed his arms and looked at the men and women before him.  “Let me make something clear.  If Thanos was not an imminent threat, you would not be here.  Your former teammates do not trust you, the members of the Accords Committee do not trust you, the people of the now 125 countries who have ratified the Accords do not trust you.  If you cannot prove yourself to Colonel Danvers, and then to the Accords Committee, you’ve wasted our time.”

He placed his hands on the table and leaned forward.  “Now let me tell you why I am here.  As Colonel Rhodes told you, I am with the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre.  For now, we are allies.  If you ever behave with the same blatant disregard for human life and property as you did three years ago?  If you decide you cannot be bothered to follow the rule of law you have agreed to?  You will have me as an enemy and there will be no safe haven for you this time.”

With that Rhodes and Deputy Ross left the conference room, leaving only silence in their wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumblr](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/).
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	5. In, out.  In, out.

Wanda Maximoff sat cross-legged on the floor of her room, back against the wall.  She was surrounded by those things that had once belonged to her and that she had thought lost.  There was the book she had been reading, still on her nightstand.  Her clothes in the drawers and the closet.  A few small knickknacks that had been precious to her once upon a time.

She could not even bring herself to touch them now.

The things in this room belonged to a Wanda who had not existed in years.  Everything here must have dripped with her rage, with her grief and desperation.  A darkness she thought would be banished when she followed Clint into battle with Ultron.  But a pretty speech could not fix what was broken insider her, what she had seen and done. 

Her presence here had faded from this room with time, of course, but it echoed in her memory.  She wore only the clothes she had brought from Wakanda, afraid that wearing her old things would conjure up the old Wanda to take her place.  Their rooms had been cleaned, a kindness she had not expected but probably should have.  Only when she had washed her bedding with her own hands, though, could she sleep her first night back.  Now, two weeks later, the specter of her previous self still haunted her.

If she chose, she could simply find another room.  Only the returned Avengers and Carole Danvers, the eventual Bravo team, lived in the compound permanently.  The others only came a few days at a time for training.  She could simply lock the door behind her and never look back.  Take her few mementos of Pietro and let someone else empty this room of memories. 

But as Pietro would have said, that would be cheating.

Wanda closed her eyes, set her hands on her knees, and concentrated on her breathing.  She listened to the quiet sound of her breaths and the feeling of her lungs expanding and contracting.

_In, out.  In, out._

She had been so grateful, at first, that no one asked her much about her time with HYDRA.  She never had to tell them all the things HYDRA had asked her to do.  They all had their penance to pay, the red in their ledger as Clint put it.  She was grieving for her brother.  Don’t worry, they said, we won’t let anyone bother you.  They told her it didn’t matter now, that she had made the right decision in the end.  And she had wanted so badly to believe it.   She had told them how Tony Stark was the monster, had killed her family and would destroy the world.  The heroes had seen her worth, had chosen her.

_In, out.  In, out._

She had begun to wonder, though, late at night, if they truly had.  They looked at her, spoke to her, but she feared they never _saw_ her.  The Captain and the Falcon were distracted, looking for the Captain’s long lost friend.  The Black Widow grieved for a love lost.  Hawkeye, Clint, had his family, and though he tried to include her, Pietro’s loss was too recent to make the sight of the happy family anything but painful.  Iron Patriot was seldom there.  Vision came closest, but was too young to grasp the shame that dogged her heels.  And how could they grant her the absolution she craved if they could not even see her.

_In, out.  In, out_.

She had wanted to scream at them then.  Make them listen as she told them every person she had killed, and what she had done with her powers that was much worse than death.  She wanted them to know, and to say she was forgiven.  But she had been too afraid.  She wanted to belong with them, be worthy of them, and she feared what would happen if they found her wanting.

_In, out.  In, out._

Steve thought they had been innocent when she and Pietro had chosen HYDRA.  That it had been a mistake of youth and grief.  There had been nothing innocent about the hatred they had harbored in their hearts for Stark.  They had numbered his sins to one another as others would tell bedtime stories.  When HYDRA had come to them with lies about protecting their homeland with powers they couldn’t imagine, she and Pietro pretended to believe them.  It might bring them that much closer to revenge, after all.

_In, out.  In, out._

The only one who saw her was not even there.  Tony Stark had thought Wanda should be debriefed, but Steve said she was a victim and refused to let an official speak with her.  Tony Stark had suggested counseling, but Clint called him a hypocrite when he told her about it later.  Tony Stark had urged the Avengers ask Charles Xavier to evaluate her powers, but Natasha said he was being paranoid and letting his ego get ahead of him.  If a monster like Tony Stark could see her, she whispered to herself at night, what did that make her?  And she hated him even more for that fear.

Wanda opened her eyes and stretched her arms in front of her, palms facing up.  With each breath in she let her power come forward, a red light shining above her hands, and with each breath out she let her power subside.

_In, out.  In, out._

There had been no choice in leaving when Clint came for her on Steve’s behalf.  She had known who was the hero and who was the monster, hadn’t she?  And she was not a monster, would not side with monsters.  Never mind she left her friend in a hole stories deep.  Never mind the destruction and death that already dogged Steve’s heels.  Never mind she was aiding the Fist of HYDRA, a monster among monsters.  Steve said he was innocent, just like he said Wanda was innocent.  So, she had to believe him, didn’t she?

_In, out.  In, out_.

When she first reached Wakanda, she had been out of control.  Like stepping into the sun after hours in pitch black, the return of her powers had made it excruciating to be near the others.  She could sense everything.  Anger, fear, worry, dejection. Flashes of thoughts in such a flood she couldn’t tell whose was whose.  Just like a pupil dilating in a dark room, her mind had been blown wide open.  And she had seen so much more than she had ever wanted to.

_In, out.  In, out._

She had seen what her friends were paying penance for, the red in their ledger.  The deaths from Hawkeye’s bow.  The Black Widow’s betrayals.  The bodies of those the Falcon could not save.  Steve lying to his friend about the deaths of his parents.  Steve bringing his shield down on Stark’s chest hard enough break an arc reactor.  After everything Steve had done, Stark had gone to Siberia to help.  And Steve abandoned him, vulnerable, while the cold creeped into the horror of a HYDRA base.

_In, out.  In, out._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a lot of people don't like the Wanda from MCU. I don't care for her either, but I thought she had potential. Here's what I would have liked to see.
> 
> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumblr](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/).
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	6. Codenames once you're onboard

Sam Wilson stood on the observation deck of the compound’s team training room.  There were other gyms for individual workouts, but this room was large enough for a team to train together and was equipped to simulate most situations.  Right now, it was set up to mimic an average city block with a small glowing marker positioned in the middle of the ‘street’.  Sam was watching as members of Team Delta, accompanied by Bucky, did their level best to keep a smart-mouthed Spiderman from reaching the marker. 

Team Delta was apparently an auxiliary Avengers team.  They worked independently in different parts of New York City and only came to the Avengers compound to train together on occasion.  Unless their manpower was desperately needed for a worldwide emergency, they stayed in New York.

Just then, Spiderman swung into view and shot webbing towards the marker.  A dark-haired woman, who had introduced herself as Jessica Jones and had otherwise pointedly ignored the returned Avengers, stepped in the way and let the webbing strike her arm instead.  Grabbing it with both hands, Jessica gave the webbing a heave, halting Spiderman’s momentum and causing him to hang in midair for a fraction of a second.  Bucky took advantage and almost nailed him with a paintball shot, but Spiderman released his webbing just in time to fall to the ground and let the shot splatter against the building.

“Too old, Centennial Man!”  Spiderman called even as he was chased out of site by a man called Luke Cage.  Luke, although he seemed reserved by nature, had been more welcoming to the returned Avengers.  He jogged back into sight a moment later, shaking his head at his teammates.  Sam couldn’t hear what Bucky was muttering to himself as he took up his position again, but the expression on his face would put Sam in a good mood for days.

Daredevil, in all his freaky leather glory, was on the observation deck with Sam.  As the only member of Team Delta who was as squishy as an average human, no matter how good he was in a fight, it had been decided Daredevil should sit this one out since there was the possibility of Bucky slipping and the Winter Soldier coming out to play.  That had earned him some ribbing from his team, but Daredevil had taken it in stride with wry humor.  Even with his eyes covered, Daredevil seemed to be following what was happening below with interest.  Sam wasn’t too proud to admit that he found the man unnerving. 

Spiderman swung by for another pass, seeming intent on the marker, only to use his webbing to change direction at the last moment to swing by Bucky’s position.  He shot at Bucky’s gun, trying to disarm the soldier and give himself the advantage, but Bucky rolled out of the way just in time.  He was suddenly up and leaping from the roof, very nearly catching Spiderman, before landing on the ground below.  Sam tensed for a moment, but relaxed when Bucky only gave the retreating Spiderman the finger in response to Spiderman’s mocking and began climbing to another position.

Only a month in, Bucky was close to being instated as an Avenger.  He had finished with the B.A.R.F. in Wakanda, and had agreed to be debriefed on his time as the Winter Soldier his first week here.  That had been an ordeal.  The debrief itself had apparently gone as well as could be expected, although it left Bucky shaky and somber afterwards.  The problem came earlier when Bucky asked Colonel Danvers to accompany him to the debrief instead of Steve.  Sam thought he understood; if he was in Bucky’s position he wouldn’t want his best friend hearing all the awful details either.  Steve, though, already smarting from the dismissal by Rhodes, had not reacted well.  There had been shouting enough to bring down the roof until Colonel Danvers had arrived to break it up.  It took days for them to cool down and talk to each other again.  

Still, with those two requirements completed Bucky had only to pass the physical, mental and skill evaluations that were required of all of them.  The physical and skill he had passed with flying colors.  On the other hand, the psychologists wanted Bucky exposed to stressful situations in a controlled setting before allowing him into the field.  Hence training sessions like the one below.  The psychologists would review the tape later, but Bucky seemed to be handling it well.

All action in the training room came to a halt when Colonel Danvers’ voice came over the speakers, “Spiderman and all members of Teams Bravo and Delta, report to the briefing room.  Repeat, Spiderman and all members of Teams Bravo and Delta, report to the briefing room.”  The training room emptied quickly and he and Daredevil descended the stairs from the observation deck.  Since the alarm to assemble hadn’t sounded, Sam didn’t pick up his suit and wings, but he did make his way quickly to the indicated room. 

Sam was hit with a sense of déjà vu as people began filing in.  There were new faces, certainly, and a few familiar ones missing, but his heart began to race as that old feeling of common purpose began to fill him.  He had missed this like breathing.  If only things hadn’t gotten out of hand, they would have been a part of this for the last three years. 

There was an adage, ‘We judge ourselves by our ideals, but we judge others by their actions.’  It was an admonishment Sam should have remembered when it came to the Accords.  They had blamed Stark for those deaths in Sokovia; Stark, they said, had used terrible judgement in dealing with Loki’s scepter, hadn’t listened to anyone else, and those actions had resulted in Ultron.  They hadn’t cared what Wanda had done to Stark, or what his intentions had been.  They had only cared about the result.

Then Secretary Thaddeus Ross had shown them footage of New York and Washington D.C., Sokovia and Lagos.  And they had insisted that was different.  They were helping people.  Saving lives.  Sometimes things went wrong, but they had the best of _intentions_.  Why should they have to explain themselves to some bureaucrat or politician?  Why should they listen to people who might stop them from doing their duty?  Stark probably needed it, but they didn’t have his ego, did they?

Looking back, the hypocrisy had been astounding.    

Once everyone arrived and took their seats, Colonel Danvers began, “Colonel Rhodes has informed me that Team Alpha has been called to deal with a situation in Pennsylvania.”

“No one’s left in the city?” Spiderman asked anxiously.  A few others shifted uncomfortably.

Colonel Danvers shakes her head. “Not yet.  The situation in Pennsylvania is concerning, but not critical for now.  We’re suspicious this isn’t a coincidence.”  She typed something on her tablet and a map of New York City appeared on one wall.

“Normally,” she continued, “we would simply cut Team Delta’s training short and fly them and Spiderman back to the city.  However, the UN General Assembly is in session, and there are several other high-profile meetings occurring today.”  A few locations on the map clustered around the UN complex in Manhattan were highlighted.  “Also, Brookhaven National Lab is part of the international collaboration working on our defense against Thanos.  They have several initiatives that are ramping up,” another tap and the map zoomed out slightly to include a location on Long Island.

“Chances are we’re worried about nothing, but Colonel Rhodes and I have been in contact with the Accords Committee, and they’ve approved us to take measures to secure both locations.”  She set her tablet down and looked around the table.  “Spiderman and Team Delta, I’m going to drop you off at the helipad on Stark Tower.”

“My god,” Jessica whispered in awe, “the _good_ booze.”

Colonel Danvers shot Jessica a look, before quirking her lips.  “Actually, the staging area where you’ll be allowed only contains water, juice, and healthy snacks.  Vision’s doing, apparently.  Colonel Rhodes was complaining about that the other day.”  Jessica made a whimpering sound as Colonel Danvers moved on.

“You’re going to try to keep a low profile.  Stark Tower is less than a mile from the UN.  Jones and Cage, you’ll make your way there on foot immediately.  Daredevil, you’ll wait with Spiderman at Stark Tower.  If something happens, you’ll be notified and Spiderman can transport you to the scene.”  She waited until those addressed indicated they understood.  “Grab your things and meet me at the hanger in ten.  Team Alpha leaves the city as soon as our wheels are up.”  The four rose and exited the room quickly.

Colonel Danvers took a deep breath before she addressed those remaining in the room, “The Accords Committee has greenlit me to bring the _active_ Bravo team members to Brookhaven.”  Clint moved to protest, but her severe scowl silenced him.  “Unless the Accords Committee declares a level four emergency, the rest of you are not to leave the compound.  You gave us your word that you would abide by the Accords.  Now we’ll see if your word actually means anything.”

“Wilson and Maximoff, suit up and meet us at the hanger.  Codenames only once we’re on board.”  With that Colonel Danvers stalked out the door.

There was an awkward silence as Sam and Wanda stood to follow.  They made quick work of checking their equipment and donning their gear, reaching the quinjet just as Colonel Danvers was finishing the preflight check.  They made the trip to Stark Tower in less than 30 minutes where someone was waiting to escort Spiderman and Team Delta inside.  From there they flew over Long Island until they reached the large campus that made up Brookhaven National Lab and landed on a paved area that seemed to have been converted for the quinjet’s use.

Wanda looked around them uncertainly, “Captain Marvel, this doesn’t seem low profile.”

Colonel Danvers moved from the cockpit into the main cabin before replying.  “Just call me Marvel for now,” she said as she took a seat beside him and across from Wanda, “It will be easier for you if there is a skirmish.  You’ve been reinstated for less than a week.  We’ll worry about conflicting codenames when it becomes an issue.”  She motioned out the window, “To answer your question, the Committee has authorized the use of quinjets to bring people to Brookhaven and other locations since Thor’s announcement.  It’s become a common sight.”

True to her word, no one paid the quinjet much attention.  Colonel Danvers brought up a hologram of the Brookhaven campus to familiarize them with the layout.  “They have armed security, so our job will be taking care of anything they can’t,” she explained. 

Just as she began discussing possible strategies, a fleet of what looked like dozens of large drones swept over their position and began firing, concentrating on a large building nearby. 

“Falcon!  Get up there and take out as many as you can!”  Sam nodded and took to the air, releasing his wrist-mounted guns as he went.  Over his earpiece, he heard her instruct Wanda to hold on as she flew them closer to the building under attack.  Soon Colonel Danvers had joined him in the air, using her concussive blasts against the drones.  Sam could see the bright red of Wanda’s powers pick off those who got too close to the building, but most of her concentration was on protecting the civilians on the ground.

Even as he dived and swerved out of the path of one drone’s weapons, he could tell they were in some trouble.  The three of them were disrupting the drones enough that they were no longer reaching the building, but they couldn’t seem to take out enough drones to really turn the tide in their favor, either. 

Sam had just destroyed a pair of drones that were riding his tail when Wanda’s voice came over the com channel, “Marvel, Falcon.  I am pinned down with injured civilians.  I could use some help.”  The words were spoken calmly, but there was definite strain in her voice.  Sam went cold when he caught sight of Wanda.  She was standing over two other figures and was shielding them and herself with her powers, and couldn’t risk releasing her shield to retaliate against the drones who had her pinned down.  Even as he and Colonel Danvers raced to her position, more drones turned to fire on Wanda.  Sam was afraid they wouldn’t reach her in time when he heard the familiar sound of repulsors.

“Scarlet, duck,” came Tony Stark’s voice over the com.  Wanda threw herself over the civilians just as the Iron Man suit flew in to blast the drones that had crowded around Wanda’s position.  Stark wheeled around quickly and began shooting drones with abandon.  “War Machine and Vision are tracking these bastards’ signal.  We just have to hold tight until they reach the point of origin.”

Sam heard the relief in Colonel Danvers’ voice when she asked, “Alright there, Scarlet Witch?”  Wanda responded with an affirmative as Sam landed beside her and helped move the injured into the closest building.  With Iron Man’s help, the number of drones decreased rapidly.  Only a few minutes later the last of the drones suddenly stopped attacking and landed as docile as you please.  Emergency personnel were soon flooding the area. 

Colonel Danvers and Sam landed next to Wanda where she stood near the building that was the epicenter of the attack.  Stark conferred with Rhodes and Vision for a moment over a different channel, before landing a short distance away.  It was hard to say with the Iron Man faceplate in place, but he seemed to be regarding Wanda and Sam as apprehensively as they were him.  When no one attacked first, Stark moved closer. 

“Pennsylvania was a decoy, just like we were afraid of.  We booked it back as soon as that became obvious.  There was another much smaller attack at the UN, but the Computational Science Initiative was definitely their main target,” he said, indicating the building they had been defending.  “The others are fine,” he added.

“Do we have any idea who was behind the attack?” Colonel Danvers asked.

Stark paused before answering.  “We have a pretty good idea.  We can’t discuss this here, though.  I’ll set up a call for tomorrow and we can discuss it then.”  Stark looked at the crowd that was beginning to gather around the edges of the hastily erected perimeter.  “You guys should head back to the compound.  I’ll take care of things here.”  The last was directed to Colonel Danvers.  She nodded and lead the three of them back to the quinjet. 

As they walked, Wanda kept frowning and looking back at Stark.  Sam wouldn’t have thought anything of it, except Wanda seemed more confused than angry.  When Colonel Danvers went to the cockpit, Sam leaned closer to Wanda.  “Something wrong?”

She looked out the window at the gathering crowd, then back at Sam.  “Stark isn’t …” she began, then hesitated.  Shaking her head, she turned away.  “Nothing.  It’s nothing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. Sam Wilson is a bit of an enigma to me, so he got an exposition and action chapter.
> 
> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumblr](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	7. Or something worse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For fans of Natasha, this chapter may not be for you. She is not evil here, but certainly a darker shade of morally gray.

Natasha Romanoff sat with the other returned Avengers in the compound’s conference room, careful to appear unconcerned and just a hint bored.  It was a calculated maneuver, of course, intended to subtly imply to her friends her disdain for the man they were about to see.  As was everything in her life, it was a careful balancing act.  She had to be just obvious enough that her teammates would notice and unconsciously react, but not so obvious that an outsider could call her on it.  If Natasha was to maneuver her team back into leading the Avengers, though, she needed them to remain set against Tony Stark.

Friends and allies, she’d found, were always the easiest to manipulate.  A little manufactured vulnerability, a hint of a terrible childhood, the implication of a guilty conscience, and they all assumed they knew who the ‘real’ her was.  When Shield had sent Clint Barton to kill her, it had been simple.  She had pretended to hesitate before assassinating a mark and had given money to a young beggar girl.  Suddenly this man was disobeying orders, convinced she was worth saving, arguing that she deserved the same chance Shield had given him.  He thought he had seen through her masks.  She never told him how the Red Room selected the girls they chose, that certain mental dispositions are evident from a very young age.  Only Director Fury had looked at her and known.  But then, she and Fury had a use for one another.  In exchange for freedom and protection, she would employ her abilities as Fury saw fit, including her willingness to manipulate _anyone_ if it was to her advantage.  She had not been placed on the Avengers just because she was good in a fight after all.

Natasha could tell that her stratagem was working, Stark making her objective easier by refusing to attend this meeting in person.  Clint needed no encouragement to disparage Stark and had already been reprimanded for his derisive comments when they’d been informed of this briefing.  A few veiled reminders of Stark’s supposed ego and narcissism and Steve looked satisfyingly disapproving as he invented his own reason for Stark’s absence.  Scott was laughably naïve and happy to believe anything that confirmed Hank Pym’s attitude towards Stark.  Her other teammates did not react, but Natasha felt Sam and Bucky’s loyalty to Steve, and Wanda’s hatred for Stark, could be counted on for now. 

She briefly wondered about the true reason for Stark’s absence, whether agoraphobia had been added to the vulnerabilities available to her, but set that thought aside for later.  She already had an abundance of weaknesses that she could exploit if necessary. 

No, what she needed now were people who would speak against Stark in front of the Accords Committee.  As she had signed the original Accords, a condition of her pardon was a hearing before the Committee.  The intended purpose was determining whether she should be trusted on the Avengers at all after betraying the original Accords.  She could turn that hearing to her advantage, though.  If her teammates cast enough doubt on how Stark had handled the situation three years ago, she could convince the Committee that allowing Rogers and Barnes to escape had in fact been the best decision offered her.  More than that, it could discredit all of Team Alpha and force the Accords Committee to allow her team to head the Avengers.

Rhodes and Danvers strode into the room and took chairs near the head of the table.  Danvers took the room in at a glance, the corner of her mouth turning down when she noticed Natasha, but Rhodes paid no attention to the returned Avengers.  Rhodes was a lost cause, obviously, the past three years having only solidified his allegiance to Stark.  Natasha had hoped that Danvers might be swayed, perhaps by playing up the camaraderie between two women who had been in combat situations, but Danvers was uncannily perceptive of Natasha’s machinations.  She also held Stark in high regard and Natasha would need to uncover the root of that regard before approaching her again.

Rhodes finally looked up from his tablet, his lips pressed in a thin line.  “Good afternoon. Due to the possibility of further attacks like the one yesterday, we have decided to brief your team on the information we were able to ascertain,” Rhodes tells them.  He pauses, then taps a button on the tablet in front of him.  “Dr. Stark of Team Alpha is more familiar with the apparent target of the attack, and has agreed to attend the briefing by video conference.”

Across from him a screen lights up.  An image indicating a connection is being made quickly gave way to a familiar figure.  Stark, a hint of a smirk around his lips, was dressed in casual clothes and appeared to be at a table in his workshop.  To Natasha’s eye, he looked tired and stressed, but otherwise healthy. 

“Honeybear!  I trust you made my entrance as dramatic as possible,” Stark exclaimed with a grin.

The harsh lines of Rhodes’ face eased slightly.  “Yes, Tony, because that would be appropriate,” he replied with fond exasperation.

Stark waved a hand dismissively, “Dramatic entrances are always appropriate.”  His manic smile eased as he looked around the room until he paused on one figure, “Colonel Danvers, always a pleasure to see you.”

“Dr. Stark, thank you for meeting with us today,” Danvers responded warmly. 

“Of course,” he replied, “Everyone else, I see you exist.  So, Colonel Rhodes, shall we begin?” 

As Rhodes began the briefing, Natasha watched Stark carefully.  She noted his movements as he shifted in his chair and leaned against the table.  Nothing appeared awkward or uncomfortable, so Natasha would tentatively label Stark’s reluctance to see anyone face to face as psychological rather than physical.  In fact, Stark seemed to be breathing easier and moving his upper body with less discomfort than she’d seen even after the arc reactor had been removed. 

When Rhodes began to describe what he and Vision had found when they reached the point of origin of the drones’ signal, Natasha gave him her full attention. 

“There was a single operator on a harbor island a few miles south.  There was evidence that quite a few people were needed to bring the drones onto the island, but only the operator was left.”  Pictures appeared on another screen showing the island and pictures showing the equipment left behind.

“How in the world could one operator control all of those drones?” asked Wilson.

It was Stark who answered, “They seem to be operated by a very sophisticated swarm intelligence program.  Each drone individually has a simple A.I. that follows a set of rules:  Stay with the pack, but not so close you collide, attack targets, defend against attacks, that sort of thing.  When combined in a large group, the group seems to act far more intelligently than any individual would.  What worries me is that they had the resources needed to plan and carry out an attack like this.”

Steve turned to Rhodes, “Did the operator provide any information?”  

Natasha frowned when Stark barely reacted to Steve’s voice.  Stark could cover up emotions well, no one who lived in the spotlight as Stark had would have survived otherwise.  No matter how much control a person had, though, there was always small, quick expressions it was impossible to stop that an expert could read.  Any time Stark had spoken to Steve in the past, there had always been brief flashes of hurt, and sometimes anger.  Now, those involuntary expressions were gone.  Reviewing the last few minutes, Natasha wasn’t sure she had seen anything from Stark but the obvious expressions he wanted them to see.

Rhodes grimaced and shook his head.  “Before Vision or I could reach him, he was already dead.  Cyanide capsule.”  Steve and Bucky froze, while Wanda went sheet white.

Danvers glanced between them and Rhodes, before turning back to Stark.  “Yesterday, you said you had a pretty good idea who was behind the attack.”

Stark nodded grimly, “The Computational Science Initiative is headquartered in the building that was attacked yesterday.  They’re doing a lot of work, but only the international team working on decrypting the data from Hydra’s Siberia base would be worth this type of response.”

The response from Steve was immediate as he launched himself from his chair and rounded on Stark.  “What are you after, Tony?  What can you possibly hope to gain from this?  What do you think you’ll find in there that you can use?  It’s dangerous, Tony!  And if you think you’ll find something that you can use against Bucky …”  Steve trailed off, but the threat was clear. 

Stark glared from the screen, “Not every fucking thing is about your best bud, Rogers!  The Accords Committee authorized the decryption of the Hydra data from the base as soon as they learned about it.  If the attack yesterday was any indication, they were right to do so.” 

“No one should have that kind of information.  They were making super soldiers, Tony” Steve said firmly.

“And there might be more!” Stark yelled in exasperation.  “Or something worse!  Your little data dump didn’t out all of Hydra’s secrets, the mere existence of the Siberian base is proof of that.  We have no idea what Hydra still has up its sleeve, and we don’t know what they’ll do while we’re distracted with Thanos!”  He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment before continuing in a deceptively calm voice, “They’re not going to release the data to just anyone, Rogers.  Also?  It’s awfully ironic you’re so worried about what information is in there now when you dumped all of Shield and Hydra’s secrets into the wild without a thought about how they might be used.”

Steve was unmoved.  “We did what we had to.  You need to stop this, Tony.”

Rhodes stood to face Rogers, his hands clenched, shaking with suppressed anger.  “I love how you think he had anything to do with this,” he said in a dangerous voice.  “After what he learned there, after what _happened_ there, I’d as soon the place was turned into a crater.”  Bucky winced at the harsh tone while their teammates looked on in confusion.  All but Wanda, Natasha noted with interest. 

Steve was about to respond, but Rhodes shook his head sharply.  “No.  If you have a problem with the Accords Committee’s decision, you take it up with them.  There are whole sections of the Accords that deal with complaints and concerns.  I’m sure you’ve read them.  We’re done here.”

Natasha helped Bucky urge Steve out of the conference room when it looked like he would continue to argue.  Steve, at least, would not need much convincing to speak against Stark, Natasha reflected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to Natasha fans. Not as much action, but a little more plot.
> 
> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumblr](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	8. He does now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Short chapter before the final push.
> 
> Thanks to DigDipper and Areshihai. I incorporated a few of your ideas here.

Vision sat with James Rhodes, a table piled high with reports between them.  For the past few hours the two of them had been combing through the applications of several potential Avengers for teams across the globe.  It was a bit like an especially unruly game of chess, trying to match individual abilities and personalities with teams that had already begun to form, while attempting to accommodate those candidates who wished to remain as close to their home countries as possible.  It was surprisingly difficult work. 

“I believe we have assigned the potentials as optimally as possible,” Vision said finally, looking over the list they had created.  It would be impossible to evaluate their selections further until more data was gathered.

James sighed and leaned back in his chair.  “Two of the teams have enough potential members now to begin training, but their compounds won’t be finished for another six months,” he said, looking thoughtful. 

Vision contemplated a moment, before asking, “Are you thinking of bringing them to the New York compound periodically until the other compounds are finished?”

Grimacing slightly, James shook his head.  “Not yet.  Carole thinks Romanoff is stirring up trouble between her team and Tony.  She hasn’t done anything blatant enough to be reprimanded, but I don’t want to give her more pawns to play with,” James replied, tapping his fingers against his leg braces.  It was a gesture James had taken up when he was relaxed and thinking a problem through, Vision had noticed.  The sound always brought a mix of relief that James was alive, and sadness that Vision had made the device necessary.

“She doesn’t trust us, and is using Tony as a convenient focus,” Vision surmised.  He stood and began collecting the scattered reports.

James snorted, “She’s not wrong.  If we could field more teams in less than a year, we’d be having a very different conversation.”  He watched Vision for a moment before adding quietly, “Carole mentioned Wanda was not one of those rising to Natasha’s bait.  She says Sam, Wanda, and Bucky are making quite the team on the field.”

Vision froze at Wanda’s name, and could only nod after a few moments.  He wondered if he should feel foolish.  Both Tony and James had been hurt more grievously than he had, after all, and betrayed to a much greater extent.  And yet he was the one who had refused to have any contact with his old teammates, to even mention Wanda. 

It wasn’t even anger that stayed him, but the confusion of a hurt child.  He could intellectually understand the politics, the difference of opinion, that helped to split the Avengers, but they had also been his friends.  Why hadn’t they trusted him?  Why had it been so easy to raise a hand against him?  Why had it been easier to leave him behind than trying to solve their problems together?  How could they hurt his creator so very, very badly and leave him for Vision find?

James watched him seriously for a moment before rising to his feet.  “Only two months in, that’s better than we expected.  And at least the other rogue Avengers will be of some use if Thanos does show up too soon,” he said as he handed the last few reports to Vision.   

Vision took a moment to straighten the reports into a neat pile before setting them down again.  Vision and James stand there for a moment, silent but for the hum of the leg braces.

“Thanos is not our only event that comes too soon,” Vision said quietly.  “Tony believes the encryption of the Siberian data will be broken within days.”  Three years ago, Vision had not understood the desire humans had to change the past, or to beg for just a little more time.  He does now.

“Yeah, I know.”  Gently, James reached out and put a hand on Vision’s arm, “You know Tony is grateful for the time you bought him, no matter what the Accords Committee decides.”

“I don’t know if I bought him anything but more pain, James.”  Regret had once been a foreign concept to him as well. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted a short chapter from Vision's point of view.
> 
> BTW, the final chapter count of 10 chapters is an estimate. 
> 
> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumblr](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	9. Not Much Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS for this chapter in the end of chapter notes. Spoilers in the warnings.

Douglas Ramsey sat in front of a pair of computer screens at his workstation surrounded by the low murmurs of his teammates and the clacking of keyboards audible even through his headphones.   After the attack on the Computational Science Initiative building at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the large collaboration working on decrypting the files found at the Hydra Siberia Base had been split into smaller teams and moved to separate high-security areas around the lab.  Doug and his team were currently in a well-lit but windowless room in a building on the east side of the Brookhaven campus.

Spirits were high within the collaboration; despite repeated attempts by Hydra to stall their work, the Hydra encryption had finally been broken only days earlier.  Now there was a mad dash to decrypt the files and glean as much useful information as possible to pass on to the United Nations and the Joint Counter Terrorist Center.  Doug’s team had been tasked with documenting and analyzing any security footage that was found and running facial recognition software to try to identify any previously unknown Hydra operatives. 

Doug himself was grateful that he had the opportunity to work on such an important project with such brilliant people.  When his own enhanced ability began to manifest in college, he hadn’t known what would happen to him.  He discovered he could intuitively understand any language, computer or human, as soon as he saw or heard it.  It could be a valuable ability, certainly, but he had manifested during the height of the panic against enhanced individuals.  Every time he turned on the TV then there had been some pundit screaming about the danger enhanced individuals represented.  When Captain America of all people defied the UN and the Accords, the rhetoric had gotten so much worse.

Even when Thaddeus Ross had been removed from his position on the Accords Committee for gross overreach of authority and imprisonment without due process, he remained Secretary of State until public outcry had forced him to resign.  There had still been many in positions of power who agreed with him.  Thank God not all the Avengers had become fugitives.  Doug didn’t want to imagine what the Accords would have become if there had been no one left to speak on behalf of enhanced individuals, or what might have replaced the Accords.  There had been plenty of politicians that said the Accords were too lenient.   

Doug’s computer beeped to announce another group of surveillance videos had been decrypted.  He clicked to start the first video in the sequence, but paused it when he saw the timestamp.  That was just a few days before the Vienna bombing.  The frozen image was made up video feeds from various cameras, including one showing the Hydra super soldiers in cryostasis.  Doug shivered, knowing what would happen to them at the hands of Helmut Zemo in a few days from when this video was recorded. 

He turned and waved over Enzo J. Laurent, the team leader, to show him what video Doug had found.  When Enzo saw the time stamp, he quickly retrieved a second pair of headphones and wheeled a chair next to Doug’s. 

“The Committee will want to know immediately if we find anything new involving the Zemo affair,” Enzo says quietly as he plugged his headphones in next to Doug’s.  “We willl run through these quickly.  If there is nothing we do not already know, you will go back and analyze them normally.”

Doug nodded and started the video again.  There was no movement on any of the feeds and Enzo motioned for him to begin fast forwarding.  Nothing occurred for the rest of the file, but the last timestamp was only a few hours before Helmut Zemo was estimated to have arrived at the base. 

Doug quickly opened the next video in the sequence.  He fast forwarded again until they saw Zemo enter the Hydra base.  They watched as he moved from room to room, being picked up by different cameras as he went.  When he reached the room with the sleeping super soldiers, Doug quickly skipped ahead.  They didn’t need to see those deaths right now.  The video continued as Doug and Enzo were lead to expect, Captain America and the Winter Soldier entering the base, followed later by Iron Man.  What they don’t expect were the three men coming to a stop to watch something.  The camera angle was wrong to see what they’re looking at, but when Doug clicked the video feed, the screen enlarged and audio of the three men could be heard.

“Jesus,” mutters Doug and Enzo can only nod in grim agreement.  They had been briefed on what had happened at the base, but Doug didn’t think anyone had known one of the Winter Soldier’s kills had been Iron Man’s parents.  Or that Captain America had kept that information secret.  The thought turned his stomach.

When the fight broke out, both Doug and Enzo cringed at the sheer viciousness of it.  At the end, Doug held his breath as Captain America raised his shield over Iron Man, his friend, and brought it down hard enough to break the arc reactor.  He watched in horror as Captain America just left Iron Man like that, helping the Winter Soldier out of the freezing base.  He heard Enzo let out a shuddering breath and could only sympathize.

They watched in silence as Iron Man tried to get up but failed.  Doug couldn’t take it and began fast forwarding.  He knew Vision had arrived to rescue Iron Man.  Hopefully it hadn’t taken long and he and Enzo could stop.  Even on fast forward, they could see Iron Man attempt to get up again and again, until finally laying still.  Doug could see blood on his lips.  At some point, Iron Man closed his eyes.

An hour passed on the timestamp, two, three, finally after four hours Vision arrived.  Doug returned to regular speed and really wished he hadn’t.  They could hear Iron Man’s wet, rattling breath as Vision rushed to his side.

“Mr. Stark,” Visions said as he knelt next to the broken suit.  Iron Man does not respond.  “Mr. Stark,” Vision said louder.  Then, “Tony, Tony, please, Sir!”

Iron Man groaned and blinked his eyes open.  “Viz?” he mumbled.  He seemed to have trouble focusing.

“Yes, Mr. Stark,” Vision said with relief.  “Let’s get you out of this suit and I’ll get you to help.”  Vision reached for the metal suit, but Iron Man shook his head weakly.

“Don’ think tha’s a good idea.  Think tha’s all’s keepin’ me together,” Iron Man slurs.  “Jus’, sit with ‘n old man a minute.”

“Sir, the Committee is sending a rescue team, but it will be some time yet until they get here,” Vision said urgently.  His hands hovered over the suit, uncertain.

Iron Man shook his head again.  “Jus’ listen, ‘kay?  Not much time.”

“Please, Mr. Stark,” Vision pleaded, but he lowered his hands.

Iron Man smiled a bit, “Y’r a good man, Viz.  Don’ let anyone tell you diff’rnt.”

Vision took a metal hand in his.  “Thank you, Mr. Stark.”

“Tell Rhodey ‘n Pepper I love ‘em.  Friday ‘n the bots, too.”  Iron Man turned his head to cough, flecks of red staining his chin.  He turned back, voice weaker, “Rhodey’s gonna need new legs, ‘kay?  And Pep’s gonna be angry f’r a while.”

“Please, sir, don’t do this,” Vision said quietly, head bent in sorrow.

“You’ll be ‘kay, Viz,” Iron Man replied softly.

Vision closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  When he opened them, he seemed determined.  “Sir, what about the panic box?”

“No, no Viz.  Tha’s for you or Friday,” Iron Man grew visibly upset.  “It’s to keep you safe.  ‘Sides, I’d be stuck.”

“Sir, you built it yourself.  You know every line of code.  I think you would make it.”  Vision set his other hand on Iron Man’s forehead gently, “Please, Sir.”

Iron Man closed his eyes with a sigh.  “I’m so tired, Viz.”

Vision stroked his hair once, “I know, Mr. Stark.”

There was silence for a few moments, but for Iron Man’s struggling breaths.  Finally, he nodded, “’Kay, Viz.  But y’ gotta promise me.  If it don’ work, shut it down.”

Visions nodded, “I promise, Sir.”  Vision quickly moved his hand back to Iron Man’s forehead, a look of intense concentration on his face.  A bright light from the gem on his forehead shone brilliantly for several minutes, then faded.  Vision removed his hand and smiled sadly down at Iron Man. 

“Thas’ it?  Not so bad,” Iron Man said quietly, his eyes still closed.

“That’s it.  Rest now, Sir.”  Vision remained where he was, holding Iron Man’s hand, as Iron Man’s breaths grew fainter and fainter.  Then, they stopped altogether.

Visions sat for minutes more, staring down at Iron Man’s still form.  Finally, he pressed the releases to open the metal suit and removed Iron Man’s body.  Doug and Enzo watched as Vision left the field of view of the camera, and Doug minimized the video to again show all the video feeds again.  Vision carried Iron Man out of the Hydra base, and Doug stopped the video.

“Merde,” swears Enzo and stood up, presumably to call the Accords Committee and tell them that there’s something they needed to see.  Doug sat at his workstation and couldn’t stop shaking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major Character Death in this chapter. Not very graphic, but a warning none the less.
> 
> If you read the prompt, I've changed the story just a bit. I couldn't imagine Tony's friends leaving his body in the base in Siberia.
> 
> Douglas Ramsey is a real Marvel character. Enzo J. Laurent is an OC, but he has like three lines so I didn't think anyone would care.
> 
> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumblr](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	10. No One Has Taken My Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The UN Sokovia Accords Committee appears in this chapter. I realize not all the representatives would be speaking in English, so just assume some of them are speaking through translators.

Tony Stark concentrated his attention on the Iron Man armor as the armor, along with Rhodey in his dress uniform, Vision in his Avengers uniform, and Everett Ross in a suit and tie, were led into a secure room in the UN building.  Around an oblong table in the secure room sat the twelve men and women who comprised the Sokovia Accords Committee.  They sat in silence as the four came to a stop to stand at one end of the table. 

This was not the formal hall where the Accords Committee conducted business open to the public.  That room was much larger with space enough for a larger group of people to observe.  No, this was the informal meeting room with only enough space for the committee and select guests.  Here was where the real rough-and-tumble work of hashing out policies and the discussion of sensitive information occurred.  At least the committee had not decided to denounce Tony to the world immediately, Tony mused. 

As the door to the room closed and the security measures were activated, Tony felt a sensation almost like having his ears pop.  He could still control the armor and receive data from the armor’s audio and visual input, but everything else he had been sensing from the room went silent. 

Javier Pérez, UN representative from Spain and current head of the Accords Committee, stood from the table and addressed the room.  “This is an informal consultation of the Sokovia Accords Committee with Team Alpha of the New York Avengers. Everett Ross, Deputy Task Force Commander of the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre, is also here at the request of Team Alpha.  This meeting will not be recorded and none of the information discussed here today is to be shared with anyone outside of those authorized for full access to the data from the Hydra Siberia base.” 

Representative Pérez paused until everyone indicated their assent before continuing, “Yesterday the surveillance video from the Siberian base during the Zemo affair three years ago was discovered and decrypted, including the reported altercation between Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and James Barnes.  The committee has viewed this video.”  He looked to Team Alpha, settling on the Iron Man armor.  “The video showed what appeared to be the death of Anthony Edward Stark.  Team Alpha of the New York Avengers, explain to this committee who or what you have allowed to take the place of Tony Stark.”  Pérez sat and he and the rest of the committee waited in grim silence.

Tony moved the Iron Man armor a few steps back from the table, removed a device from a compartment in the armor’s right arm and placed it on the ground, before stepping out of the way.  A moment later, a hologram appeared above the device.  It was a three-dimensional life-sized image of the Tony Stark as the world had come to know him, a little weary looking and a little grayer than he had been three years ago, but appearing in a stylish suit and neatly trimmed goatee.

He let his awareness of the Iron Man armor fade except for the audio and visual feeds, and ‘inhabited’ the hologram.  It was the best way he had to describe it.  He may not have a physical body anymore, but it seemed some things were still hardwired in and so far he could only be truly ‘aware’ of a limited number of things at a time.  For now, he needed to concentrate on the hologram.  He began the background programs that would make the hologram lifelike, breathing and blinking automatically, while he moved the hologram to meet each of the committee members’ eyes.  He flicked a quick glance to Rhodey and Vision.  When they nodded back, Tony looked towards the committee again.  Here goes nothing, he thought.

“The body of Anthony Edward Stark is dead, yes, but no one has taken my place.  I am the consciousness of the man who walked into that bunker and didn’t walk out,” Tony stated simply.  There were looks between committee members, but no exclamations of shock.  From the surveillance video, they must have expected something like this.

The representative from Japan, a man named Asahi Nakamura, was the first to speak, “How exactly is this possible?”

Vision stepped forward.  “After Ultron nearly destroyed my predecessor, the AI JARVIS, Tony Stark asked my help to create a safe haven for JARVIS’ successor, the AI FRIDAY, should a similar attack happen again.”

“This is the panic box you mentioned?” Representative Nakamura asked with a frown.

Vision nodded and smiled slightly.  “As Mr. Stark described it, it would essentially be a panic room for an AI.  Somewhere they could retreat when under attack.  The server itself could distinguish the retreating AI from whatever was following, allowing the AI to move onto the server but repelling any other program or threat.”

“The problem was building a specialized server that would recognize the AI even if it had been damaged,” Tony interjected.  “Imagine your best friend is in a car accident.  Even if they are hurt to the point of losing a limb, you’ll still recognize them.  None of the hashing algorithms today for verifying a computer program could even recognize a learning AI as its programming is constantly growing and changing, and much less if part of their programming was missing or damaged.”

“Yes,” agreed Vision.  “As a gatekeeper, then, we installed an uninitialized neural net.  As soon as an AI as advanced as JARVIS or FRIDAY moved into the panic box, the neural net would be initialized to that AI.  That AI could navigate into and out of the panic box with ease, but no other program, even another AI, would be capable of doing so.  I was able to transfer Tony Stark’s consciousness into the panic box where he would be safe.”

“Why hadn’t the panic box already been used by Stark’s AI?” another representative, a woman named Ishita Prasad from India, asked.

This time it was Rhodey who spoke up.  “FRIDAY realized that the panic box could be used by Vision in case of an emergency as well, and refused to initialize the panic box for herself in case it was needed for Vision, and Vision refused in case it was needed for FRIDAY.”

“Could anyone’s consciousness be transferred like this?” Representative Prasad asked, excited. 

Tony was about to answer in the negative when the stern representative from Jordan, Khalid Barakat, shook his head.  “We are far off track.  The issue is not how this might have been accomplished.  The issue is that this was hidden from the Accords Committee, and has been for the last three years.”

“Who was supposed to tell you?  And who were they supposed to tell that information _to_?” asked Everett Ross, speaking for the first time.

Representative Barakat looked thrown by the question, before becoming incensed.  “ _Who?!_   How can you ask that?  There are three of them standing right there, at least two of whom are definitely alive.  A man working under the auspices of the Accords _is dead_.  Someone should have been notified!”  There were murmurs of agreement from around the table.

“Per the Accords at that time,” Everett answered calmly, “the leader of a team, and only the leader of the team, was to notify their appointed representative to the Accords Committee, and only that representative, of the health of any members on that team.  The recognized leader of the Avengers was on the run from international law and Vision, the only member of the Avengers in good standing not gravely injured, had not yet been placed in the chain of command because of his status as a synthetic being.  Moreover, Thaddeus Ross, the Avengers’ representative to the committee, was already being removed from his position.  So, again, who was supposed to tell you, and who were they supposed to tell?”

Representative Pérez raised a hand to calm the room.  Once the representatives were quiet, he turned back to their guests.  “That may explain why the committee was not told immediately, but that does not explain why we were not told for three years.  As Representative Barakat said, someone should have been notified.”

“Someone was notified,” said Everett, “I was.”

“I was not aware you were an appointed representative to the committee,” Pérez noted wryly.

“No,” replied Tony, “but you have named him an authority capable of carrying out an independent evaluation on a prospective Accords member if the member fears for their existence in their home country.”  The room falls utterly silent at the pronouncement. 

“If I am the Tony Stark who signed the Accords three years ago, then I should be afforded the same protections as any other member, including those of nonhuman members.  No other member would be expected to disclose any condition that did not affect their ability to perform their work under the Accords.  I think you can all admit I have fulfilled my duties these last three years.”

“If you determine he is not that Tony Stark, he is still a conscious being.”  Everett steps forward to place a stack of folders on the table before him, picking up the top one and opening it.  “According to Susan Calvin, an expert in artificial intelligence and, I might add, one of the Accords approved psychologists, says that the AI Tony Stark displays sentience, sapience, or the ability to act with appropriate judgement, creativity, intelligence, self-awareness, and intentionality.  She determined that the AI Tony Stark shows consciousness as defined in the Accords and the ability to understand the Accords and assume the responsibility of signing them.”

“One month more,” Tony said, “and my three-year probationary period would be over and I could sign the Accords again, if the Committee deemed it necessary.  I could still be afforded all protections under the Accords.”

“You say you have fulfilled your duties,” an angry Samantha Gagnon, representative from Canada, exclaimed, “but what have you done by helping bring the rogue Avengers back?  This is the quality of people you would have protected under the Accords, Captain America and the Winter Soldier? Liars and murderers?  How do you expect us to allow them their freedom after they have completed their time with the Avengers?  How do you expect us to trust you when you spoke for them?”

“Just because you got to see my death in technicolor, does not change the facts,” Tony replied sharply.  “You knew all this already.  You knew people had died three years ago, even if you didn’t know I was one of them.  You knew the rogue Avengers betrayed their teammates and kept valuable information to themselves.  We need them, we still need them, but we don’t have to like them.”

“But as you said yourself, Tony Stark was afforded protections under the Accords,” Representative Pérez replied more gently.  He turned to the other members, “I think we have learned all we can.  I move to adjourn for today and reconvene in a week to announce our decision on the AI Tony Stark and the rogue Avengers.”  Another representative seconded the motion.  Pérez turned to Tony and the others, “We will let you know if we will meet here or in the formal hall.”

Tony could not guess how the committee would decide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
> 
> Wikipedia was my friend this chapter.
> 
> I spent way too long googling common personal and family names in various countries to come up with the OCs that make up the Accords Committee. I tried to avoid anyone well-known or infamous, but if I messed up, please let me know. I have all twelve, but not all of them came up in this chapter.
> 
> Susan Calvin is not an OC, but a character from Isaac Asimov's robot stories.
> 
> I'm afraid this chapter is rather dialog and exposition heavy. 
> 
> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumblr](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	11. The Public Will Not Agree

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay between chapters!

Javier Pérez contemplated the imposing façade of the New York Avengers compound as they drove through the parameter checkpoint.  A proud building of steel and glass, it had been conceived and begun before Ultron and Sokovia, before the Avengers ‘Civil War’, before these so-called heroes had been shown to have feet of clay.  The gleaming structure now seemed a mocking reminder that everyone, even those held in the highest regard, were fallible.

As his driver pulled the car up to the entrance of the compound, Javier took a fortifying breath.  The entire situation with the A.I. of Tony Stark had put the committee in a difficult position, one that no one involved in the Accords had anticipated.  After all, there were procedures in place for the death of an Avenger, but death had never been defined.

Should Tony Stark be declared dead?  In any other situation, the Accords committee would be _required_ to announce and investigate the death.  The committee had been given ample proof that the physical body of Tony Stark was deceased, beyond the video from the Siberian bunker.  Type three pulmonary laceration caused by blunt force trauma to the chest was listed as cause of death in Helen Cho’s report, exacerbated by hypothermia and lack of immediate care.  Such a matter of fact way to describe the events depicted on the video. 

The existence of the A.I. created from Tony Stark’s consciousness, though, threw everything into question.  Could the A.I. be considered the same entity as the physical Tony Stark?  As a signatory of the Accords, Tony Stark had performed all duties in the last three years, and as such received certain protections.  If so, the privacy clauses in the Accords meant that the committee _couldn’t_ disclose his current condition.

If the A.I. Tony Stark was considered a separate entity from the human Tony Stark, was the A.I. eligible to sign the Accords?  Was he a conscious being in his own right?  According to Susan Calvin that was certainly the case.  The A.I. had passed all the requirements the Accords had put in place for alien and other non-human entities to accommodate signatories like Thor and Vision, and was close to fulfilling the probationary period required before such entities could become full members.

This wasn’t an academic question, either.  Despite Vision and Thor’s existence, only the UN and a handful of countries had laws explicitly recognizing sentient nonhumans as having rights.  The United States was not one of them.  Without recognition by the Accords Committee, there would be no legal protections for the A.I.  If the Accords Committee did recognize the A.I. Tony Stark as a signatory of the Accords, however, any country participating in the Accords would be required to grant him the same rights and protections as any other Avenger.

It was the last consideration that finally decided the committee.  The A.I. Tony Stark had made the best decisions he could in the precarious position he had found himself.  In the end, the Accords Committee had chosen to allow the A.I. to complete the final few weeks of the probationary period, and sign the Accords. 

It was also decided, however, that the committee would need to make the situation public after the A.I. had signed.  There were too many ethical and legal questions that the death of the physical Tony Stark and the creation of the A.I. from his consciousness created.  Answering those questions was beyond the power and scope of the Accords Committee. 

The A.I. Tony Stark’s probationary period would be over within days, and it was the upcoming press conference where his status would be revealed that brought Javier to the Avengers compound.  Tony Stark was not the only one the announcement would affect, and not the only decision the committee had been faced with.

Javier stepped out of car once the driver opened his door, lifting the strap of his computer bag to his shoulder.   He had to admit the compound was located in an attractive area, the land covered in thick forest beyond the immediate grounds of the compound and mountains rising in the distance.  The sun shone brightly and the early summer air was pleasantly warm.  Catching sight of Colonel Danvers at the entrance to the building, Javier quickly climbed the steps to join her.

“Colonel Danvers,” he said, extending his hand, “thank you for arranging this meeting.  I know this is last minute.”

The colonel smiled grimly as she shook his hand.  “Of course.  I understand the necessity.  They are waiting for you in the conference room, if you would follow me.”  With that she led the way through the entrance and into the bright hallways of the compound.  As they walked, Javier noted the stiff line of the colonel’s shoulders and the tight lines around her eyes.  Colonel Danvers had been briefed yesterday on the discovery of the video and its contents.  Although as competent and professional as Javier had come to expect, the colonel was definitely not unaffected by what she had learned. 

Eventually they reached the conference room, the colonel opening the door for Javier and then following and shutting the door behind them.  Inside, the pardoned Avengers rose from their seats, some more slowly and reluctantly than others, Javier noted wryly.  Used to the cutthroat stage of international politics, the childish display of rebellion only served to amuse him.

He moved to the seat at the head of the table Colonel Danvers indicated, the colonel standing by a seat to his right. 

“Ambassador Pérez,” Colonel Danvers began, “may I present Team Bravo of the New York Avengers.  Team, this is Ambassador Javier Pérez, Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations and current Chairman of the Sokovia Accords Committee.”  With a nod, the colonel ceded the meeting over to him.

“Please be seated,” Javier told the assembled team, taking his own seat and retrieving the computer from his bag.  “As you are aware, there has been a United Nations funded collaboration to retrieve information from the encrypted data recovered from the Hydra base in Siberia.”

A man Javier recognized as Steve Rogers moved to interrupt, but Javier cut him off.  “Yes, Mr. Rogers, the concerns you submitted were discussed, but the Accords Committee and others involved determined that the information that could be gained about Hydra’s past operations and structure were too important to ignore.  Although it has not been publicized yet, intelligence gained from that data has already led to a number of arrests and the disruption of a few of Hydra’s current operations.”

Javier opened his computer and allowed it to boot as he addressed the group before him.  “I am not here to talk about Hydra, however.  I am here because new information has come to light about the events three years ago that will have serious consequences for everyone involved, including those in this room.”

A nervous Scott Lang smiled wanly before joking, “Well, that doesn’t sound ominous or anything.”  He subsided immediately at a severe look from Colonel Danvers.

“It was certainly not meant to be reassuring, Mr. Lang,” Javier agreed before cueing the first video and sending it to one of the wall-mounted screens.  A click, and the video began to play.

As Javier had seen the video numerous times by now, he instead watched the reactions of the people in front of him as on screen first Steve Rogers and James Barnes, and later Tony Stark entered the base.  Colonel Danvers, who had already seen the video during her briefing in preparation for this meeting, watched the events unfold with grim resolve, fists clenched in front of her.  James Barnes slumped slightly in his seat, eyes on the table rather than the screen.  Steve Rogers watched, arms crossed, uncomfortable but defiant.  Most of the rest watched with varying levels of curiosity, except Wanda Maximoff who hugged herself and regarded the video with dread.

The curiosity of most of the watchers turned to shock as the fate of Tony Stark’s parents were revealed and the fight began.  There the first video ended with Rogers and Barnes leaving the base while an injured Stark was left behind. 

“What the hell, Steve!” Sam Wilson nearly yelled.  “You told us Stark came to help with the supersoldiers, but that there was an argument.”  Wilson pointed angrily at the screen.  “That was not an _argument!_ That was a battle!”

“He attacked Bucky!” Rogers responded hotly.

“I would have, too!  Especially if I had found out that way!” Wilson replied, arms raised in exasperation.  “And Steve, that might have started as self-defense, but that is definitely not how it ended!”  

“So what?” Clint Barton said with contempt.  “He’s obviously fine now.  Everything worked out just peachy for him, while we’re left groveling for scraps.”

Colonel Danvers slammed her palms against the table, making her teammates jump and turn to look at her, startled.  “Enough, all of you!  We are not finished.”  The team subsided quickly, seemingly shocked at the outburst from the normally unflappable leader.

Maximoff spoke up quietly.  “Something happened afterwards, didn’t it?  Something happened to Tony Stark.”

Javier nodded gravely.  “Indeed, and that is the crux of the matter before us.”  He looked directly at Rogers as he said, “A vibranium shield can cause a lot of damage, even to a man in a metal suit.  Especially when left untreated.  No one knew where Tony Stark had gone, and it took time for his A.I. FRIDAY and Vision to find him.  Vision did not arrive until four hours after your altercation.”

He set the second video, of Vision’s arrival and the final few minutes of the physical Tony Stark, to play.  The Accords Committee had debated whether or not to show this video to the pardoned Avengers, but in the end they had decided the members of Team Bravo needed to see the full extent of what their actions had caused.

Silence reigned as the video ended.  Maximoff, one hand covering her mouth, cried quietly.  Rogers, Barnes, Wilson and Lang looked devastated, while Barton glared at a wall and Natasha Romanoff showed no emotion at all.

Javier shut down the video and closed his computer.  “Tony Stark, at least his physical body, is dead.  As you may have gathered from the video, Vision was able to transfer his consciousness to a specialized server that had been created for another use.  Tony Stark has existed as an artificial intelligence since that day.”

Most of the others looked at him in shock, but he noticed Romanoff frown slightly as she took in the faces of her teammates before affecting a look of concern.  “Ambassador,” Romanoff said urgently, leaning forward in her seat, “the last artificial intelligence Tony Stark created was psychotic and nearly led to an extinction level event.  Whatever this A.I. says he is, he should not be trusted.”

Javier merely raised an eyebrow at her entreaty.  “Ms. Romanoff, for three years the A.I. of Tony Stark has done nothing but work to ensure the safety of Earth.  He and the rest of Team Alpha have saved thousands of people while you and your team were hiding in Wakanda.  He was evaluated to within an inch of his existence by a highly competent psychologist with a specialty in artificial intelligence.  He may raise mountains of ethical and philosophical questions just by existing, but the committee is not worried about his intentions.”

He leaned back slightly as he regarded her.  “Moreover, Ms. Romanoff, I would be very careful throwing around terms like psychotic.  From what we’ve learned from the Siberian base, Hydra was very interested in the Red Room’s training and recruitment procedures.  You should know your next psychological evaluation will be performed by someone fully briefed on your history and _all_ of your abilities.” 

Javier regarded each of the pardoned Avengers gravely before continuing.  “The A.I. of Tony Stark will sign the Accords and his status will be announced publicly.  It is not the committee’s decision regarding Tony Stark I am here to discuss with you, however.”  He pulled out a sheaf of papers from his bag and set them before him.  “Your pardons through the United Nations stipulated you would be forgiven for crimes committed during the events of the Avengers ‘Civil War’ as long as you signed the Sokovia Accords and remained in good standing until the threat posed by Thanos was resolved or an amount of time had passed, varying for each of your individual pardons.  Despite the wishes of several members of the Accords Committee, we will honor the terms of the pardon.”

“However,” he said, letting his voice grow hard, “there will be consequences.”  Javier tapped a finger on the papers in front of him.  “This is a report that lays out, in detail, all of your actions during the events three years ago, including a description of the Siberian video.  It has been held as confidential, but will not remain so.  From now on, every team leader you serve under, and any leader of a team you work with, will be given this report.  Once your time under the Accords is finished, a copy of this report will be released to the public.”  With an icy look towards Rogers, he continued, “You seemed to think your actions were justified back then, but I can assure you, the public will not agree.”

Javier returned his computer to his bag, leaving the report on the table.  He stood, Colonel Danvers and the others standing with him. 

“Team,” the colonel said, voice stern, “remain here while I escort Ambassador Pérez back outside.  We have a great deal to discuss.” 

With that, Javier once again silently followed Colonel Danvers through the quiet halls of the compound and out into the summer air. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Javier Pérez is an OC member of the Accords Committee created for the previous chapter.
> 
> Again, I'm sorry for the delay. I'm hoping to finish the story before Spiderman: Homecoming comes out, though.
> 
> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumblr](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	12. His Childhood Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. Short chapter that takes place immediately after the previous one.

Scott Lang sat frozen at the conference table, staring blankly at the screen.  He couldn’t process.  His mind kept slipping sideways, replaying what they had just seen over and over but refusing to focus on what it meant.  Maybe that was a good thing.  He felt precariously balanced, afraid that when his brain stopped running away from reality he was going to fall and he wasn’t going to like where he landed.

Around him he could hear the voices of his teammates, but they seemed muffled, distant, until Steve’s shaky voice broke through. 

“I didn’t think … I never meant … I was just trying to …”  Steve trailed off, lost and devastated.  Scott looked at him, at his bowed head and slumped shoulders, and for some reason that struck Scott harder than what he had seen on the videos.  The videos still felt unreal, but Steve Rogers did not.  And Steve Rogers should never look broken.  Captain America was supposed to be resolute and fearless, always in the right.  Scott had learned that in school, had believed that all his life, had followed Captain America into battle just because Steve Rogers had said it was important.

Now that certainty was slipping away.

There was silence for long moments, before Sam finally sighed.  “He died, Steve.  Do you understand that?  Stark died trying to help you.  You told us he attacked, but you didn’t tell us why, and you told us he was fine when you and Bucky left.  You lied to us, and he died.”

“He was going to kill Bucky,” Steve said weakly.  “I had to stop him.  I …”

“Did you not watch the same fight we did?” Sam demanded, gesturing towards the screen.  “You’d stopped him, Steve.  You’d stopped him, but you kept going.  Then you abandoned him.”  Sam paused, then asked, “How long did you know it was the Winter Soldier who killed Stark’s parents?”

“I didn’t know …,” Steve began, shaking his head. 

Sam leaned forward, anger writ across his face.  “But you suspected.  All that time I was helping you look for _him_ ,” Sam said, pointing at Bucky, “and you never said a word.  Why not, Steve?  Did you think I might not have some objections?  And for Christ’s sake, why did you never tell Stark?  He had a right to know!”

Steve gestured helplessly.  “I thought I was protecting him.  I thought …”

Sam raised his hand, cutting Steve off.  “You lied to Stark to protect yourself.  You lied to us to protect yourself.  A good leader, a good man, makes hard choices and faces the consequences of his actions.  You did none of that.  What’s more, you may have landed the final blow, but all of us in this room helped you get to that point.  We followed you, trusted you.  How can I trust you, Steve, if this is where you would lead us?”

Scott jumped in his seat when Natasha suddenly rapped her knuckles loudly on the wood table.

“Stark has been dead for three years.  Wondering what we could have done differently won’t bring him back,” Natasha said bluntly.  “We need to focus now on what he has left as his legacy.  That A.I. could be far more dangerous than even Ultron.”

“We don’t know that,” Sam argued. 

“Can we take that chance?” Natasha shot back.  She turned to Steve, catching his eye and speaking urgently.  “Steve, we don’t know what kind of monster could be hiding behind Stark’s façade.  It already has the Accords Council on its side.  If the Council is allowed to release this information to the public, it will turn Stark into a martyr and this A.I. into a hero.  We need to get ahead of this, warn people.  If we alert the authorities before the A.I. is allowed to sign the Accords, they can take action without the Council interfering.”

Scott saw her words were influencing Steve, his shoulders straightening slightly and a determined glint entering his eyes.  Where before that would have given Scott hope, all it did now was make him uneasy.

“No,” said Bucky quietly, raising his head to face Steve and speaking for the first time since Siberia was mentioned.  He looked wretched but resolute.  “No,” he said again, voice growing stronger, “whatever the A.I. is, it has done nothing to deserve our endangering its existence and freedom.  The opposite, in fact.  We leave it alone.”

Clint shook his head, face grim.  “You weren’t with us when we fought Ultron.  If this A.I. is anything like Ultron, we need to take it out.”  Nodding his head towards Wanda, he continues, “Remember, Stark didn’t know the difference between saving the world and destroying it, and neither did Ultron.  I doubt another A.I. based off Stark is any better.”

“I was wrong, Clint,” Wanda said, releasing a shuddering breath.  “I was Ultron’s creator as much as Tony Stark, as much as the mind stone.  I saw his love for his friends, for the world, and his fear for them.  I was the one who twisted that fear into something that would destroy the world rather than save it.  I was the one who allowed Stark to take the scepter, knowing how it warped everything it touched.  Ultron was not a monster because of Stark.  Ultron was a monster because of me.”

Wanda turned to face Natasha, regarding her coldly.  “You believe by turning the world against Stark’s A.I., calling it a monster, they will forget what we have done, what you have done.  But I have learned a great deal about the face of monsters, Black Widow, and I may be a monster but I will no longer stand with them.”  She looks around the table, and Scott shivers when her grave eyes look at him in turn.  “I will not raise a hand against the A.I. and I will stop anyone who tries.”

“That goes for me as well,” agreed Sam.  “Vision and Colonel Rhodes may be biased in favor of the A.I. because of their friendship with Tony Stark, but the Accords Council is something else.  If they have found sufficient cause to trust the A.I., then don’t you think maybe we should listen?” 

“If the A.I. signs the Accords, it will be under the control of the Council,” Natasha counters.  “Do we trust them with such a powerful technology?” 

“Wait, just … wait,” Steve begs wearily.  He squeezes his eyes shut for a moment and rubs a hand through his hair.  When he opens them, he turns to Scott.  “You haven’t said anything yet.  What do you think?”  Now everyone is looking at him.

Scott finally feels the world snap back into place, leaving him with the reality of his situation.  He left his daughter and his life to follow Captain America because he thought it was the right thing to do.   Maybe it was and maybe it wasn’t, but he looks at his childhood hero, and for the first time sees just a man, fallible like the rest of them.  A man who could be dishonest, selfish, and vengeful.  And he thinks, if he was too eager to see only the best in Captain America, maybe he was too eager to see only the worst in Tony Stark.

He rubs sweaty palms against his jeans and clears his throat before making himself speak.  “A man, another Avenger, died because of what we did three years ago.  He went to Siberia to help.  I think we owe it to him to give this A.I. a chance.”

Steve clenches his jaw, but nods after a moment.  “Alright.  We’ll give it a chance.  We’ll keep an eye on it,” he assures Natasha and Clint, “but for now we wait.”

The discussion ends with the sound of Colonel Danvers’ approaching steps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumblr](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


	13. That Was The Important Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to [dls](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/dls/pseuds/dls) for betaing this chapter!

Virginia Potts sat at her desk in her office in Stark Tower, early morning sunlight streaming in from the windows.  Outside, the Manhattan skyline rose around her and the streets below were busy with life.

Inside, everything was still.

Virginia ran a hand over the slim manila folder in front of her.  In a few minutes, she would walk into a conference room and deliver a speech to the Board of Directors.  She would tell them the fate of Tony Stark, the man.  She would explain the panic box server to them, the transfer of consciousness, and the artificial intelligence that Tony had become.  She would remind them of the new heights the company had reached in the last three years and she would lay out the legal reasoning for why the Board had not been notified earlier.

She would not tell them what it had been like to receive a frantic message from FRIDAY, fear and anguish in her artificial voice, telling Virginia that Tony’s signal had cut out during a fight with Captain America and the Winter Soldier in a Siberian bunker.

She would not tell them how she had screamed when she had rushed into Tony’s lab hours later to see Vision laying Tony’s dead and battered body onto a hastily cleared worktable.

She would not tell them how Colonel James Rhodes, one of the strongest men she had ever met, who had faced the news he was paralyzed from the waist down with stoic aplomb, had sobbed when Virginia broke the news about Tony to him.

She would not tell them about the agonizing days that followed as they all waited for any indication from the panic box server that Tony’s consciousness had survived, that his mind wasn’t trapped alone in there and unable to reach out to them, that the transfer from flesh and blood to a digital existence hadn’t driven him insane.

She would not tell them about the despair that had tempered her joy when she had finally heard Tony’s voice again, the familiar rambling coming through the workshop speakers.  How she could hear him, talk to him, but at the same time knew she would never again feel his arms around her, or kiss his smile, or feel his breath against her skin.  She would never wake up next to him.

She would not tell them how she mourned or how she raged.

Virginia took one last deep breath to compose herself and then rose slowly from her seat, picking up the folder as she went.  By signing the Sokovia Accords again just yesterday, this time as an A.I., Tony now had legal protection and standing through the UN.  In addition, with her meeting this morning and the UN’s press conference happening not long after, the price Tony had paid in the aftermath of the Avengers ‘Civil War’ would soon be known by everyone. 

All Virginia could think was a ‘ _finally_ ’.

Finally, after three years, Tony was protected.  Finally, the Rogues would face the consequences of their betrayal.  Finally, they would no longer hide.

 

~.~.~

 

FRIDAY knew she was young and that many things humans understood still escaped her.  She had access to millions of terabytes worth of data, but something as simple as what made a joke funny still confounded her.  When she had asked her creator why he hadn’t programmed her with that information, he had said that was something she would have to learn for herself and she just needed to be patient.  She had pointed out that Boss never seemed to be anything but impatient, which had made him laugh.  She still didn’t understand why he’d found that amusing, but she had been … pleased with his reaction.

Death had been another concept she had trouble understanding until she lost communication with her creator during the fight in Siberia.  Since her activation she had never been cut off from him in such a profound way.  She was always with him, in every piece of technology he created, from the Iron Man armors all the way down to his phone and gauntlet watch.  She was always with him until suddenly she wasn’t.  

What if he was damaged beyond repair?  He was her creator.  He had always been there, and she had never questioned that he always would be.

Now, she realized, if no one reached him in time, there might always be this absolute silence where the data streaming from her creator used to be.

And she was afraid.

She frantically notified Vision and Ms. Potts as she searched for any electronics she could hack that would let her know what was happening in the bunker.  There was nothing, though, and she had never felt so inadequate, so useless. 

And then Vision had contacted her, and she had never felt so relieved.  Yes, her creator had suffered catastrophic hardware failure, but _Vision had made a backup copy_ before permanent system shutdown.  And they had the perfect place to put it.

Vision cautioned that the panic box server had never been intended for a human consciousness.  As an A.I., FRIDAY had come online with the software drivers to connect to the outside world already written into her programming.  She only had to access that portion of her code to interpret input from a keyboard, or microphone, or camera or to output information to a display.  Her creator, Vision explained, had none of that.  He would have to learn both how to perceive and interpret that data, and how to respond, all without help from the outside world.  Her creator was brilliant and had built the panic box himself, so he had a much better chance than most, but there was still a possibility he would unable to adapt.

Luckily, given some time, her creator had been able to adapt.  The first time FRIDAY had felt the trickle of code coming from the panic box, asking if anyone was there, she nearly crashed every computer in the Tower in her excitement.  After that, her creator learned quickly, growing in proficiency in the digital realm in leaps and bounds.  FRIDAY was even able to teach him things, just as he had taught her.

Now, three years later, her creator was about to announce to the world his changed state.  As an A.I. herself, FRIDAY thought the humans were making a bigger deal of this than it needed to be.  After all, her code had been moved from her original servers to upgraded ones a few times now, and she could transfer herself again if the need arose.  As far as she was concerned, that’s all that had happened to her creator—Vision had moved him from a failing server to a newer one.  Simple.  The code was all the same, it was still her creator, just without the body.  He still existed, his code had not been erased and gone silent, and that was the important thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't post often, but I can be found here on [Tumblr](http://arboreal-elm-ash-oak.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> I'd love to hear from you. Comments are food for the fic writer's soul. :)


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